1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for supplying top end stops to a holding portion of a top end-stop attaching machine for applying the top end stops to a continuous slide fastener chain.
2. Prior Art
One known top end-stop supplying apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 48-42582 and reillustrated here in FIG. 9 of the accompanying drawings. The known apparatus includes an inclined gravity chute 15 for slidably receiving a multiplicity of generally U-shaped top end stops 16, and a reciprocable pusher arm 17 disposed at the lower end of the chute 15 for supplying the top end stops 16 one at a time to the holding portion 18 of a top end-stop holder 19 in a top end-stop attaching machine.
With the apparatus thus constructed, the top end stops 16 are likely to lie one upon another as they intermittently slide downwardly along the chute 15 in response to the reciprocating movement of the pusher arm 17. The top end stops thus overlapped tend to jam the chute 15 with the result that a reliable top end-stop supplying operation is difficult to achieve.